My Dear Sister, Florina
by MeowSap
Summary: Fiora reflects upon the causes of Florina's fears. Fiora's POV, Completed
1. Part 1

Well, here's my first multi-chapter story! Actually, there are only two parts...this would've been a one-shot, but Part One ended up longer than I imagined. Part Two will probably appear sometime this week or next week, but it will probably be shorter. Anyways, reviews are appreciated, as usual. For once, I am writing a story that _doesn't_ revolve around romance! (But it still has romance...I just can't avoid it...O.O) I should've waited to post this, but I'm always so excited to post fics! There may be some stupid mistakes in here...ah well...

**Disclaimer: The characters and locations in this story are NOT mine. (Wow, that's _slightly_ obvious...) Tibb, however, is my completely random character, so he's mine...MINE! (Not that I really care for him...)**

* * *

**My Dear Sister, Florina**

**Part 1**

"_My dear sister, Florina…how did you ever become this way?_"

After I united with Florina and the rest of Eliwood's group at the Dread Isle, I often mused upon that question. Yes, she had become much stronger in the company of these people, but her fears were still quite prevalent. She still blushed uncontrollably in the presence of a man, more often when he was larger or taller than she, and occasionally, she would panic and scurry away. Clear words seldom escaped her small lips when under the spell of fear; stuttering and squeaking seemed to be all she could muster.

Sometimes, I wonder if it was my fault for her extreme social dilemma. When our parents died in a horrible famine many years ago (I was only twelve at the time), I was given the authority over my sisters, Farina and Florina. Farina, only a year and a half younger than I, could take care of her self for the most part. Her rebellious attitude caused many fights and much grief; she despised listening to my instruction.

Florina, on the other hand, was still young, so I had the duty of raising her. Submissive, quiet, and innocent; she was such a cute little child! I regret that I sheltered and protected her so much; perhaps that is the reason she is so withdrawn from the world.

I joined the pegasus knights at a very young age, training to become a mercenary and willing to do anything to support my family. Poor Florina was kept in our small white house towards the outskirts of Edessa, home of the magnificent spring of Pyrene. She spent most of the day doing menial chores, all the while listening to Farina's newly developed notions of how insignificant men could be. Of course, when I went to the market for food and supplies, she would come with me and be exposed to the social life. She was naturally shy, however, and she always hid in my dark shadow, twitching when the passing merchants said "hello". Despite those things, she enjoyed visiting the marketplace and assisting me with the groceries. Aside from the market, Florina was also involved in the annual festivals, which is probably where many of her fears developed. Otherwise, Florina stayed at home, and I believe keeping her from other people only added to the severity of her fears.

I assume that her first negative memories involving men occurred when she was eleven, two years after our parents' death. During one of our trips to the market, my younger sister met a crude little sailor boy, probably a lowly swabbie judging by his appearance. He was dirty from head to toe, smelling like fish and sweat. His brown hair was disheveled and greasy; a few locks tickled his curious green eyes. His cheeks were spattered with orange freckles. Somehow, he had developed a painful sunburn on his skin, most likely during his sea travels. He seemed to be only a couple of years older than Florina.

He approached Florina and began a conversation due to his sheer loneliness, rambling and raving about his latest voyage and his dauntless captain. Much to my distaste, he cursed frequently, and I nearly smacked him for such unacceptable behavior. Florina simply nodded and smiled as the boy continued to blather, but I noticed her cheeks ignited with a red hue when he asked her a question. We learned that his name was Tibb and that he traveled with a group of merchants. He would be in town for the next month, at least.

During that time, Florina developed a cute, childish crush on the sour boy; I could sense it. Whenever I mentioned his name, her face turned pink, and she sheepishly looked away. I was concerned about her relationship with him; he was certainly not a positive influence on her. However, I allowed it continue because Florina _did_ need a friend aside from Farina and myself. Of course, when Farina learned of this information, she began to tease our younger sibling, who denied every word of it.

We journeyed to the market the day before Tibb's departure. Before leaving our quaint house, Florina had managed to find a tiny ivory flower and attempted to hide it from me. Flowers were very rare in Ilia, seeing how the freezing climate was cruel to the vegetation. I was surprised to see such a delicate plant. Although I wondered where she found it, I held my tongue; I knew she wanted to keep it secret from me.

When we finally arrived, Florina made several efforts to ask me something. She would nervously start, "Umm…Fiora?"

A heavy sigh or simply "nevermind" followed for the first few times.

Eventually, after her fourth try, she gained enough courage to speak up and ask. "Fiora, I need to…err…find someone. Can I, perhaps…go by myself?"

I beamed warmly. "Well…I suppose. Just do not stray too far, all right?"

"Ok…," she replied, a tiny grin appearing on her face.

"Be careful," I warned as she turned to find her friend.

I continued to go about my own business, though I glanced back from time to time to keep track of her. I only needed fifteen minutes to browse the booths and collect our supplies. Florina had traveled to the other side of the snow-covered street, where the small stone buildings stood. Purchasing the last of our needs, I thought to myself, "_Now, where did she run off?_"

With a hand on my hip, I frowned as I scanned the near-empty street. My ears pricked up when the name "Tibb" was called. I turned to see young Florina approaching the carefree boy, who was sitting in a shady alley with his back towards one of the lonely buildings. I tiptoed to the front of the structure, which was an inn, and leaned my back against the cold wall. At first, I could not discern the words she spoke, or rather mumbled. Suddenly, there was a silence between the two, prodding my curiosity. Furtively, my aqua eyes peeked behind the wall. Florina held out the dainty flower to the boy, whose cheeks turned pink. My lips twisted into a smile as I witnessed the adorable romance blooming within my youngest sister. His features suddenly wrinkled in confusion, and finally, he spat, "I…I don't need your stupid flower!"

I quickly returned to my post against the wall, heavily breathing. I was completely appalled. I heard the sounds of someone running away, and soon after, slow, dragging footsteps shuffling through the snow. Florina emerged from the wide alley, head slanting downwards. She crushed the stem of the flower in agony and uneasiness.

"Florina, what's wrong?" I asked, casually strolling up to her and hoping to cheer her up somehow. I put my slender hand on her back, encouraging her in whatever way I could.

She remained unresponsive to my question, and for some reason, I felt I should leave it at that.

* * *

Again, reviews are appreciated! Constructive criticism is also wanted, so please, by all means, tell me what you think! Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it! (Thanks, William Pendragon, for pointing that out…I fixed it!) 


	2. Part 2

Well, I almost didn't fulfill my promise...having a virus on the computer and the Document Manager not working didn't help! But I'm updating now...on the 23rd, just as my profile said!

I have a few little notes to add before you read. For one thing, in Part 1, I stated that Florina was nine when she met Tibb...well...I meant for her to be eleven. (What happened to my math skills?) I need to fix that. Secondly, I said that this chapter would be shoter...it was, by 5 WORDS! And for my last comment...RedRequiem (and all you Tibb-dislikers), we'll just pretend that Tibb took a long walk off a short plank...

**Disclaimer: Ok, ok...I don't own Fire Emblem and all that stuff...blah blah blah...**

* * *

**My Dear Sister, Florina**

**Part 2**

Florina was never the same after the disappointing incident with Tibb. She spent the following day locked in her room. I could hear her painful sobs when I pressed my ear to the wooden door. I suppose she discovered that not _every_ person was kind and caring on the inside. Those naïve philosophies had proven faulty. It was also here that I realized how easily her feelings were hurt; the harmful words had deeply cut her. She continued to ignore my questions as well, freezing up at the utterance of the boy's name. This pain was only the beginning of her fears.

Lacking self-confidence, Florina began to loathe our visits to the marketplace. At first, I perceived very little difference in her actions, but as the weeks passed, her feelings became more obvious. She tried to escape our outings by commenting about her health or attempting to sleep late. Reluctantly, I allowed her to stay at home, possibly another mistake on my behalf. With time, her reclusive acts became a habit, which only hindered her social maturity.

By the time Florina was fourteen, many changes occurred in her life. She joined the pegasus knight training squad, hoping to follow my example. She regained some of her courage as she progressed with the vigorous exercises, but she would not recover so easily. Farina had left us after becoming an official pegasus knight, desiring to get away from me and seek a better fortune. Her absence slightly disrupted our lives; there was less money to spend, and our house was eerily quiet. Fortunately, as I climbed the mercenary ranks, I was able to acquire better jobs.

It was also during this year of changes that the second notable event occurred. This time, however, I did not witness the entire scene; most of my information came from the nearby citizens, including the culprit himself. I pieced it together as best as I could in order to discover what happened to my dear sister.

Florina and I decided to participate in the Festival of Solfirin, a celebration of the approaching summer. Summer was Ilia's most prosperous season; snow rarely fell, and the temperature grew warmer. The festival gave revelry and relaxation to the weary people, an escape from the daily hardships of the Ilian life. Edessa was always a different place during the festival; charming ornaments animated the town. The villagers hung orb-shaped lanterns across the stone buildings throughout town. The merchants' booths were cleared out for the night, though some were used for the children's games. Two long tables, clothed in plain white sheets, held the simple home-baked meals for the feast.

We eagerly journeyed into town, pointing and gazing at the elegant decorations. The sky grew dim as twilight disappeared; the celebration would begin when the stars emerged. I located a few of my friends from my pegasus troop and conversed with them for a few minutes. I observed that Florina was being overly reserved again, trying to fade into the shadows and avoid attention. I encouraged her to leave my side and meet new people while I talked with my peers. After a long period of reluctance, Florina's curiosity, boredom, and courage increased, and she finally decided to leave.

I must rely on the knowledge of others to unveil the following scenes. I was told that my sister evaded the singing and dancing crowds by lurking near the buildings. For some strange reason, she must have taken a turn onto one of the dim paths intersecting the main road. I do not understand why she would do something so…reckless; shady alleys always have potential dangers – that was something she found out the hard way.

I can imagine the group of ragged thieves looking up at the passing child, surprised to see two innocent eyes staring at them. Their leader, whose face displayed malicious intents, approached her, probably while saying, "What're you doin' out here, little miss?"

Apparently, she backed away until she was pinned between him and a brick wall. He sneered, putrid breath seeping through his discolored teeth. "Hm? Are you goin' to answer me er not?"

His long, slanted nose nearly tickled her face as he bent over to look at her eye to eye. It must have been in that moment that her vociferous shriek erupted, disrupting the mass of light-hearted people. I, too, heard faint noises and immediately dashed through the horde of revelers, desperate to find my sister. "Shut your squealin' mouth!" the man barked as he violently grabbed her arm.

Swiftly running, I turned onto the path, now filled with curious villagers. I sprinted as fast as I could, my breaths painful as I inhaled. The ugly miscreant dragged my struggling sister further into the darkness, careful to elude his pursuers. His fellow thieves had already escaped.

Suddenly, the graceful white wings of a pegasus appeared in the night sky, two others trailing behind. My friends swooped down, landing their mounts at the only exit. I continued my chase until the man was sandwiched between us. I signaled to my partners to dismount and surround him. With three lance heads pointed at the man's neck, Florina escaped his grip and tightly embraced me, her body shaking with fear. Her tears stained the sleeve of my tan dress.

"All right, you…," I said coldly, uncontainable wrath stirring with my voice as I interrogated the man. "What did you do to her?"

His silence invited the iron points to come closer. Sweat dripped from his haggard face. "Answer me!" I demanded.

After much threatening, he chose to answer, though I still doubted the credibility of his words. The thief was soon arrested and taken away.

Florina was unscathed, aside from a minor bruise on her thin arm; I was relieved to see no physical harm. The mental damage, on the other hand, continued to haunt her. She refused to return to town or her training for two weeks. If she even saw a man, her azure eyes would blur with tears as her mind was consumed with horror. (Perhaps she remembered the hideous grin of the miscreant, which pierced her with a paralyzing fear.)

As I see her fight in battle and wandering through our camp, two years after the festival, I know that she has recovered to an extent. Things do not offend or affect her as much as they did in the past. She can tolerate being near a man, though socializing with one is another story. As I mentioned before, she cannot speak to a male without stalling and stuttering. She still has much to accomplish. (I _do_ have word that our blue-haired lord has been talking with her lately…) I am still thankful that she has come so far with the help of her friends. Who knows what the future will bring?

For now, however, I can only support her and pray that she breaks from fear's grip.

* * *

Constructive criticism and simple reviews are welcome. Thanks to whoever takes the time to do so! Your feedback is greatly appreciated. 


End file.
